May 2007 Issue #161
"Guild Wars Reborn"
For information on how you can obtain a copy of this PC Gamer issue please see the Media Partners page on GuildWars.com here.
I encourage you to pick up this magazine as there is much that isn't covered here. It's packed with 11 pages of pictures, concept art, tips and tricks from a game designer and the lead designer, descriptions on the new playable races for GW 2, a Q&A with Jeff Strain on the new technology for Guild Wars 2, a Guild Wars to do list while waiting for the sequel, of course the exclusive bonus Asura mini-pet and more!
~Credit to LiQuId StEeL for the summary and information
General Intro Summary:
They are abandoning the Campaign format because it required them to reinvent GW completely for every chapter, and it began to feel 'bloated' to them. It's also increased the tutorials and has created a barrier to new players entering the chapters. The Expansion increases the timeframe but allows them to do what they want to with the game, without worrying about new professions, or pre-lvl20 content. This is a new blueprint for a completely new game.
Expect a BETA for Guild Wars 2 in 2008.
Eye of the north is a HOLIDAY 2007 RELEASE and is catered to exisiting players. It will required that you own at least one of the previous campaigns and is not considered a standalone. This expansion will connect the Guild Wars 1 and Guild Wars 2 storylines. The developers listened to the community that 2 campaigns a year isn't necessarily what people wanted, that many hadn't finished a chapter before the new one was released.
A team will be assigned to support the current games with live contet still expected.
Guild Wars Expansion: Eye of the North Summary
Will cost less then other chapters with no new professions. 40 new armor sets, 150 new skills (including 50 pve only), 10 new heroes.
"Extend character development beyond level 20" ~James Phinney~
EOTN will link Guild Wars 1 and 2 storylines.
Underground complex of tunnels through all three 'continents' present thus far is revealed.
Three acts:
- Act 1 takes you through 18 underground dungeons to help the dwarves defend against 'the fiery Destroyer', eventually taking you to the Asura and Norns (races)
- Act 2 has three story arcs ranging from exploring the Norns, to the Charr homeland, to an Asura resistance of the Destroyer
- Act 3 pits you against the Great Destroyer
Far Shiverpeaks are Norn Lands, Charr homeland is north of ascalon, Asurans are near Maguuma, Tyrian catacombs stretch across the entire continent presumably
GWEN
Guild Wars 2 Summary
There will be no option to migrate characters from Guild Wars 1 to Guild Wars 2. But you will be able to carry achievements forward through a Hall of Monuments. These are built via quests in Eye of the North and is only available in this chapter.
4 new Playable races:
- Sylvari
- Asuras
- Charr
- Norn
Hundreds of years later, in Tyria... sounds more of a race-reliant struggle.
Radical changes - overhauled environment and character control system, redefined PvP play and retooled NPC companion system.
Predominately open worlds, with instancing as a secondary feature in some areas (not positive on the interpretation). Hundreds of people in the same area, and choices that the population as a whole change the quest structure. PCG gave an example of choosing to rally against a dragon or not. Those that help, gain loot and xp. If the dragon isnt driven away, another 'quest' may trigger, leaving more options for the population. Very cool idea IMO.
I'll just take the level cap stuff directly - "Events will also offer a way for players of different levels to keep interacting in the persistent world - which is crucial, since right now, ArenaNet is planning a very high [100-plus], or possibly no level cap"
Sidekicks simlar to CoH, allowing powers to seep from a high level character to a friendly lower level char.
'Click to move' will be abandoned in favor of a more freedom-rich control scheme, including 'jumping, swimming, and sliding'
Destroyable environments?
Redefined PvP Summary
No real world limitations to servers. You pick a 'world', but can switch between the realms.
PvP World vs World combat sounds to be a massive scale capture the flag (AB style?) with no minimum or maximum party size. Big-ass raids that can supposedly take place for weeks on end. At the end, the 'world' will be reset, and it will start again it seems. More a casual version of PvP where you can pop in and out to perform various smaller tasks. Developers will reshuffle the teams into well-balanced match-ups every week or so.
GvG will still be present, as a more balanced form where everyone is on a level playing field.
Companions Summary
NPC like heros can join you (like a pet it sounds), and dont count towards your party. Not using this feature lets you be mroe powerful. Every player can bring a single companion on his adventure and won't take up a slot.
I think I read somewhere in here that it will be mission-based, but I didn't see it in my quick second-look.
Conclusion Summary
As of now, there will be no monthly fees, and no 'campaigns' for Guild Wars 2... mini-expansions, and expansions are hinted at.
Developer Quotes on PC Gamer Article
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Originally Posted by Gaile Gray
I just chatted with Mike O'Brien, Jeff Strain, and Isaiah Cartwright on the question of PvP. Here is what they said:
There will be two types of PvP in Guild Wars 2: World PvP will allow you to play characters of any level, using the skills that you have in your possession at that particular time. Structured PvP (similar to today's GvG) will allow you to enter the game at maximum level with all skills. Yes, that's UAX. Roleplaying Characters will gain the opportunity to acquire higher levels. I believe that the magazine refers to a cap of 100 or more. This is an opportunity that players have been requesting over the last couple of years. I know that personally, I like the idea a lot. |
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Originally Posted by Gaile Gray
No monthly fees.
I have to say it. Tell your friends. Inform your neigbors. Put your guild on alert. No. Monthly. Fees. |
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Originally Posted by Gaile Gray
It may be a little confusing with discussing both the expansion pack and the new game. The raising of the level cap will apply to Guild Wars 2, not to Eye of the North.
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Originally Posted by Gaile Gray
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As a gamer, I think I sort of like the ability to get higher numbers, even if it only shows my investment, my time spent in the game. Now, surely it's true that someone may have lots of lower-level characters, and that player may have achieved more and know more about the game than a player with a single high-level character. It's not, in my opinion, anything like, "My level 50 is 'better' than your level 20." Or, "I'm all that because I was the first to reach Level X." I just sort of like that feeling of having been around for a while, or "veterancy." It sort of ties in with how much I like the Divine Aura, and the birthday presents, and the first year's Halloween items and with the fact they're only owned by those of us who were here, 'way back then. Each of those things seem to show a history, and for some, that's a very cool thing. |
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Originally Posted by Gaile Gray
DirectX 10 will be supported. It will not be required.
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In answer to a couple of questions:
GWEN will be accessible for players of any of the previous campaigns. You need not own all three. Hard Mode is not connected to Guild Wars: Eye of the North or to Guild Wars 2. It is a new option for Guild Wars Prophecies, Factions, and Nightfall. I need to ask about Eye of the North, because I'm really not sure about that just yet. (Will try to learn more later.) And yes, there are decided benefits to playing Guild Wars: Eye of the North as you look forward to Guild Wars 2. Read the details about the Hall of Monuments for more info. |
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Originally Posted by Gaile Gray
A expansion pack differs from a campaign -- in the Guild Wars sense, that is -- in that the first three campaigns were stand-alone products, and you did not need to own any of the others in order to play. An XP, though, does require that you own at least one of the previous campaigns.
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Originally Posted by Gaile Gray
I see some questions about transitioning from Guild Wars: Eye of the North to Guild Wars 2. I haven't been able to read all the excerpts that PC Gamer subscribers are kindly sharing with you, but pay careful attention to what they share about the Hall of Monuments. While character transfers are not in the offing, there is great benefit for veterans of Guild Wars as they move into Guild Wars 2. These benefits are available through Guild Wars: Eye of the North, and they will play a very meaningful role in your continuation of the Guild Wars experience.
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Originally Posted by Gaile Gray
Oh, something near and dear to my heart:
We are not removing instances, not at all. There's no way we're going to buy into loot stealing, griefing, boss camping, and all that other stuff. (Excuse personal note here: I got my introduction to the downside of non-instanced missions long ago, in an early MMO. My friend and I finally made it into a major destination: a dungeon with a high-level boss. I looked around and then asked my friend, "Why are we standing here? Why are all these other people standing here?" He responded, "The boss spawns every six minutes. Looks like we have about 11 groups in front of us, so we'll be able to kill the boss, get the loot, and move on in just over an hour." I seriously and truly thought he was joking! He wasn't. ) Anyway, the design team firmly believes that instancing is a very good mechanic and instancing will be a factor in Guild Wars 2. But here's the good bit: While we are including instancing in Guild Wars 2, we are also including persistence. This will allow you to take advantage of the many positive aspects of that presentation both in a social and gameplay sense. Through persistence, we can offer "event chains," which are area-wide experiences that you can participate in, and which give rewards just like missions or quests. They're dynamic, and result in consequences to the world as a whole. I imagine one of our good PC Gamer analysts here will share the event chain example from the preview. |
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Originally Posted by Gaile Gray
You know that famous expression. "If you want to know, read the [blinkin'] manual!" (Some liberties taken with the verbiage there. )
I really, really hope that you guys will go out of your way to find this magazine. Or try to find whichever one a local media partner is publishing about Guild Wars: Eye of the North or Guild Wars 2. Give it a thorough read. Read it from front to back. And then once again from back to front, if you wish. The point is, the article is stuffed with information of all kinds, and it's really difficult for anyone to provide all the details of so much content in forum posts or bullet-point lists. It really is worthwhile for you to find and read this article yourself! The magazine isn't expensive, and you get an in-game miniature if you buy one. If you don't choose to buy, or if you're located where a PC Gamer is not available, do keep in mind that many public libraries and some schools subscribe to major gaming magazines and you may be able to find a copy there. All in all, there will be much more information -- in many places -- over the next couple of months, as you can see on the Media Partners Page. Find it. Read it. We think you'll like it a lot. |
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Originally Posted by Gaile Gray
I'm going to share my thoughts on this not as any sort of official position, but just as a personal opinion as a gamer. When I played Diablo II, I did not have a portal to magically carry over my Diablo characters. When I played Half-Life 2, I didn't get to carry over my chars or weapons from HL. Sim City 3000? Nothing moved from the earlier Sim Cities. Civilization 2 didn't have a tie to Civ. MoO 2 wasn't MoO with the same guys. I didn't keep my 10-wheeler from Railroad Tycoon when I started Railroads.
You catch my drift? Yes, some of you have played a long time. Dwayna knows I have played Guild Wars a long while, too, and I put time in all those other games, as well. But as the article says, GW 2 offers a whole new world, it's not even the same century, and goodness, I feel that it's ok to start fresh! Yes, I'll miss my characters. But I know that the ones I make in GW2 will be even better. Mostly, I want to point out that these GW->GW2 changes are a long time away! The article mentions a beta in 2008, right? I vote we look to the distant future with positive anticipation, and to the near future with joy. Again, just my two cents. |
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Originally Posted by Gaile Gray
We positively will continue to support Guild Wars! While we believe that Guild Wars 2 will be so compelling that players will want to get involved in the new game, we absolutely understand and respect that some will prefer to stay with Guild Wars. They will find that we continue to support them doing so, absolutely!
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*** Again, to those of you trying to appraise this announcement, I do beg of you to read the article in whole, and personally. It is not possible for any single individual to give a full and meaningful synopsis of all that is contained in those 13 pages, and it's really essential, I think, for you to read it for yourself. |
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We will release shots soon enough, but it would be inappropriate to, essentially, "steal" PC Gamer's exclusive content by posting it on a fansite forum. Please don't do that. |
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No details on the beta test, for we are quite a bit out from wanting or needing to make those decisions. There are several ways we can go, and although I did try to wheedle info out of the co-founders, Mike and Jeff, about the beta... well, not exactly wheedle, but maybe wrangle? they said that it was too soon to make or announce a decision on that matter. We'll let you know when we know more! |
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Originally Posted by Gaile Gray
I'm not sure if it was in this thread that the question was asked, but I did want to share some good news:
We do completely understand that you want to keep your character names. After all, character names are a special part of your Guild Wars experience. So you'll be happy to know that yes, your character name will be reserved for you. If you link a Guild Wars 2 character to a Guild Wars character, the GW2 character will inherit the GW character’s accomplishments, as recorded in your Hall of Monuments. The Hall of Monuments, available through Guild Wars: Eye of the North, will provide access to unique companions, equipment, miniatures, titles, etc. that can’t be obtained any other way in GW2. I like the whole idea of building a "family history" for my characters in The Hall of Monuments. With the timespan between Guild Wars: Eye of the North and Guild Wars 2, it's a cool idea to pass things--even names--down "through the family." |
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Originally Posted by Gaile Gray
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~ Credit to ChaoticCoyote
Yes, I've read the article. No, I won't post any pictures or direct quotes, but I can say this:
1) The article emphasizes, over and over again (to the point of absurdity!), that there will be no monthly fee, or hidden fees. They even talk about how no one believes them when they say it! There will *not* be a monthly fee for GW2.
2) Some people are seriously confusing GW:EN with GW2. For example, Gwen appears in GW:EN, not GW2. Gwen, by the way, is dressed in a green outfit with Mesmer overtones; I doubt she's become a fire ele.
3) ANet states emphatically that they know some people will stay with GW1, and they will support GW1 past the opening of GW2. This includes the release of GW:EN *and* additional events and updates. So all the sackcloth-and-ashes stuff about GW1 "dying" is nonsense.
4) The new races will be NPCs in GW:EN and player characters in GW2. In GW2, they will have racial traits, so a Norn will be different from a Sylvari. No news about professions; my *GUESS* is they will revert to the original six classes in general. I'd prefer a classless system, but hey...
5) Instances have *not* gone away; however, the world will be persistent in some fashion. The article notes that ANet intends to avoid the kill camping/loot stealing problem, though it is unspecific as to how. At this juncture, I suspect ANet is still experimenting.
6) Richard Garriott's recent "clarification" (see the front page of Guild Wars Guru) is, in fact, a reaction to the PCGamer article, wherein they attribute certain statements to him. Garriott has disavowed such statements, and I suspect a PCGamer reporter took something out of context. Garriott has always been a strong supporter of Guild Wars in the interviews he's given.
As a programmer with some experience in the gaming field, I understand what ANet is doing. It may very well be that many of the features people are begging for CANNOT BE IMPLEMENTED in the current engine. Adding a Z-axis, for example, means a major rewrite of the engine and significant changes to game balance and design. It may sound easy to do "X", but if you haven't written 100k-line programs, you probably have no idea of the complexities involved.
I *STRONGLY* urge people to read the PCGamer article before wildly speculating and posting rants that have no basis in fact. Of course, the nay-sayers and doom-seekers will continue to see the negative in everything, so I'm probably wasting my time here...
Just a note: This post will continue to be updated with Developer quotes and more to keep the information all in one place and to get it to you quickly. Please check back to this first post frequently for updates.
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